4 Days Mgahinga Gorilla Trekking and Birding Safari from Kigali

4 Days Mgahinga Gorilla Trekking and Birding Safari from Kigali: Discover the wonders of Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, one of the only two gorilla parks in Uganda, on a 4-day gorilla trekking and birding safari departing from Kigali. The largest population of Golden Monkeys and other wildlife species may be found in the park, in addition to mountain gorillas. Surrounded by three dormant volcanoes—Mount Muhabura, Mount Gahinga, and Mount Sabinyo—the park is also part of the Virunga Conservation Area. Hiking up mountains, experiencing different cultures, particularly that of the Batwa people, and seeing the rare habituated gorilla family are some of the park’s main draws.

Safari Highlights

• Day 1: Pick up from Kigali International Airport
• Day 2: Mountain Gorilla Trekking in Mgahinga National Park
• Day 3: Full day Birding in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda
• Day 4: Early Birding in Echuya Forest Reserve and departure

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Pick up from Kigali Airport or hotel in Kigali and transfer to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park

On arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be greeted warmly and given a tour briefing by our company representative.  Prior to being driven to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, you will be transferred to the hotel for breakfast. In southwest Uganda, close to the Virunga Mountains, the park is situated within the Virunga Conservation Area, which shares borders with Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Check in and have lunch at the park after driving straight to the lodge you reserved. In case your pickup takes place early in the morning, you will first proceed to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park after taking a tour of Kigali’s city to see important sites, including the Gisozi Genocide Memorial Site and the local vendors market, as well as historical structures.

Day 2: Mountain Gorilla Trekking in Mgahinga National Park, Uganda

After breakfast, you will head to the park headquarters, which is situated at the visitors’ centre. Here, along with other guests, you will receive a pre-trekking briefing on the rules to be followed throughout the actual mountain gorilla trekking experience. Once your Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger-led woodland walk has begun, search for mountain gorillas. Among the many wildlife species you may encounter while meandering through the breathtaking jungle are primates such as Golden Monkeys, Galagos, Vervet, and Black and White Colobus Monkeys, In addition, look out for Albertine Rift Endemics like the Regal Sunbird, Narina Trogon, Shelly’s Crimsonwing, and Rwenzori Apalis. The trekking duration can’t be determined but it expected to last for between 3o minutes and 6 hours, depending on the location and movements of these mountain gorillas. Once you have seen them, you have a maximum of one hour to follow them and study their behaviours, feeding habits, vocalisation, asking questions to your ranger guides, and taking memorable photos of the giant mountain gorillas. Therefore, your camera has to be on standby to not miss out any moment with these endangered mountain gorillas. After enjoying this unforgettable experience with mountain gorillas, return to the park information centre to pick your certificate of participation. We have lunch and later in the evening we search out for rare papyrus species such as the African Stonechat, Carruthers’s Cisticola, Papyrus Gonolek, White-winged Warbler, Papyrus Canary, Greater and Lesser Swamp Warbler, Highland Rush Warbler, and the locally scarce Papyrus Yellow Warbler. Return to the Hotel for dinner and over night.

Day 3: Full day Birding in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda

Get to the Ntebeko Head Trail early on the fourth day of our trip. Because of the rare bird species that can be found in Mgahinga, especially the Albertine Rift endemics, birdwatching here is an exciting experience. These species include the Rwenzori Turaco, Rwenzori and Black-faced Apalis, Dusky and Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Rwenzori Double-collared Sunbird, Stripe Breasted Tit, Kivu Ground, Handsome Spurfowl (Francolin), Regal Sunbird, Olive Thrush, Black-headed waxbill, White-tailed crested flycatcher, Brown Wood Warbler, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Evergreen Forest and Cinnamon Bracken Warbler, Afep Pigeon, Dusky Turtle Dove, Purple-breasted, Blue-headed, and Malachite Sunbird, Archer’s Robin-chat and White Starred Robin-chat, Rwanzori Batis, and Montane Oriole, among others. Dinner and lodging are at Kisoro’s Travellers Hotel.

Day 4: Early Birding in Echuya Forest Reserve

On your Mgahinga gorilla trekking and birding safari, we will go birdwatching in the Echuya Forest Reserve early in the morning, after breakfast. This will give us a brief overview of a few endemic species found in the Albertine Rift as well as high-altitude residents like the Dusky Crimsonwing, Albertine Boubou, Red-faced Woodland Warbler, Rwenzori Apalis, Rwenzori Batis, Black-faced Apalis, Blue-headed Sunbird, Yellow-crowned Canary, Strange Weaver, the Rockefeller-like Regal Sunbird, Handsome Spurfowl (Francolin), the Doherty’s Bush-shrike, the Olive Green washed Mountain Yellow Warbler, the Intra African migrating Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, White-necked Raven, Rwenzori Hill Babbler, Remeron Pigeon, Brown-capped Weaver, White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Thick-billed Seedeater, Olive Woodpecker, Mountain-yellow Warbler, and many others. Following lunch, you will board your return vehicle to spend the night in Kigali City or at Kigali International Airport in preparation for your next trip. Your 4-day Mgahinga gorilla trekking and birding safari in Uganda departs from Kigali at this point.

End of Tour

These 4 days gorilla trekking and birding safaris from Kigali include:

• 1 gorilla permit per person
• English-speaking guide with an armed ranger guide
• Fuel for 4 days
• Accommodation for one night on full board: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
• All enroute meals
• Bottled Mineral Water for the entire tour
• Ground transport for 2 days in a land Cruiser 4x4WD
• All other activities in the tour package

Excludes:

• Travel insurance
• A single travel Visa for East Africa at a cost of $100 USD
• International and domestic flights
• Alcoholic and soft drinks
• Souveniors
• Tips
• Others not listed in the itinerary